Bike Theft Reddit Drama

[William Chabot]

I'm not sure how many fellow redditors there are on this list, but there seems to be a rash of crap-posting about bikes getting stolen on the PortlandME subreddit.

I found it borderline entertaining until last evening I came out to discover that someone had attempted to defeat my partner's bike lock with a piece of rebar:

We were at Novare Res for about two hours (6:39pm to 8:50pm according to my phone) and the irony is that my other partner's bike would have been easier to steal.  But hey, free rebar, am I right?

In terms of actual solutions to this issue: do we have a "free bikes for those in need" program of any kind?  If not, how do I start one?  Could we advertise this on our bike locks/posts/helmets as a deterrent?  Is there data on the impact of the similar labor center information sign at the Forest Ave intersection where people tend to pan-handle?  Could we piggyback on the bikeshare program and hand out vouchers to those in need?

People stealing bikes because they need a bike seems like a very achievable problem to surmount- people stealing for the sake of stealing maybe not.

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Will Chabot

Engineer

Haroldson-Blair, LLC.

(207)-200-3798

wch...@haroldson-blair.com

[Rosemarie De Angelis]

The Portland Gear Hub does run a program for BIKES for new majors. They have a requirement, and a good one, that someone needs to attend a two hour bike class, and then they get a bike, a helmet, and a lock. It’s an excellent program. I have also helped dozens of asylum-seekers get bikes, especially during Covid. There are programs out there.

Rosemarie. 

Sent from my iPhone

On Sep 15, 2022, at 2:48 PM, William Chabot <wch...@haroldson-blair.com> wrote:



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[John Clark]

Sorry to hear about your near bike theft, glad they were unsuccessful. Wild how brazen some of these bike thefts are.

I'd like to see the bike share program implement some sort of subsidy program. For example, if you qualify for reduced METRO fare you should qualify for a free membership (reduced rental rates, no check-out fee, etc.) Perhaps they could also offer free vouchers to folks in need as well. But of course, Tandem is a for-profit company, so that would have to be something Portland is willing to foot the bill for.

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John Clark (he | him | his)

(207) 712-0480

[William Chabot]

Rosemarie, do you know who at the Gear Hub I can talk to about this program?  It would be great to have a little metal tag for my bike lock that says "WAIT- before you steal this bike, get a free one by going here"

I think that the financial burden of running that kind of subsidy program would be achievable.  Boston is paying Bluebikes (Lyft) to allow everyone free 45 minute rides while they have the subway closed for maintenance.  Do we know who to talk to about starting that conversation with the city and Tandem?

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[Scsmedia]

First I hope you took the rebar with you.  

Second, it is interesting to learn one of the tools/tactics used to steal bikes.

Third, putting a sticker on your bike or helmet would be a waste of time.  They will just laugh at you as they proceed to steal the bike.  Anyone who would use rebar in broad daylight to steal a bike is not stealing it for their personal use.  They are stealing it for the $$$ they will get for it.   They are not going to go build themselves a bike.

As to your comment about the sign on Forest Avenue and Marginal Way.  This was a program the city set up to get the panhandlers off the street.  It could only serve about 10 people at a time, so it made no dent in the panhandling population.  The program was an utter failure.  Very few people participated in this make work endeavor.  It cost the city $$$ thousands of dollars to run and administer including buying vans etc.  The phone number if it works at all rings to someone's desk at HH&S in Portland who probably has no clue there number is on the sign.

Steven Scharf

207-415-4662

SCSM...@aol.com

[Winston Lumpkins]

I would contact Ainsley Judge, the director/manager of the gear hub- I'm sure she would be happy to discuss that idea, though I don't know what she'd say.

Unfortunately I tend to think of bike thieves as falling into 2 categories- people who need a bike, and might take one thats not locked, or is locked poorly to get where they're going, but not for long term use and people who need 50 or a hundred dollars & have a jack & or angle grinder. 

Both of those folks have an imidiate need, which a bicycle is the answer to.  Possibly the first type of person might be satiated with a bike share pass, but, the bike share will need the bike back...

The best way to reduce bike theft, and many other crimes might be safe injection sites... but that's perhaps off topic for this forum.

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